Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies and Tiger Brands Educate Girl Learners during a Sanitary Pad Drive

MAMELODI SUNDOWNS LADIES

AND TIGER BRANDS

EDUCATE GIRL LEARNERS DURING A SANITARY PAD DRIVE

Author: Erica Mathye

For many girls in South Africa, a lack of access to sanitary products and period education creates a real barrier to attending school. To bridge this gap, Tiger Brands partnered with Mamelodi Sundowns and Abundance In Light, a non-profit organisation (NPO) empowering women and children. Together, they provided essential menstrual hygiene education to the girl learners at Rebontsheng Primary School, Vosloorus, South Africa.

Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Mbali Ntimeni who was present during the program, highlighted the importance of the Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies’ involvement in the cause.

“We are here today to educate young girls about their menstrual cycles and the importance of ensuring they are comfortable when they experience it. Period education should be basic and accessible to every girl, so they can know what to do to handle the experience. It was important for us to make them aware that there is no shame in having periods,” Ntimeni said.

The initiative extended beyond education. Recognizing the issue of period poverty, the three parties donated sanitary pads to the school, setting an example for others to address this critical need. Kgopotso Radebe, founder of Abundance in Light, emphasised the importance of combating period poverty in communities.

“Being here is crucial. We know one in four girls miss school due to a lack of sanitary products. Initiatives like this are vital to eradicate period poverty across South Africa and Africa. We identified Rebontsheng Primary as lacking support, making it the perfect place to educate these girls about their periods and menstrual hygiene,” said Radebe.

Tiger Brands Digital Specialist Nakedi Phala shared his takeaways from the pad drive and explained the significance of collaborating with Mamelodi Sundowns.

“This initiative is incredibly important to Tiger Brands. As a father of a daughter, I learned a lot today. I realised there is much I did not know about using sanitary pads, and I am walking away with valuable knowledge,” he said.

“Collaborating with Mamelodi Sundowns, especially the Ladies Team, was crucial. This initiative is all about empowering girls and women, and who better to connect with them than female athletes who excel in sports,” Phala concluded.

Inspired by Mbali Ntimeni’s message and Nakedi Phala’s takeaways, let us keep the conversation going and dismantle the stigma. Through ongoing collaboration, education, resource provision, and community support, we can ensure that periods are simply a biological experience, not a reason to miss out on learning.

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